The Leader in Canadian Logistics since 1950.

You've been thinking about moving your existing company to a third party logistics company but you can't decide if you should make the move or not. Rather than spend your valuable time and energy focusing on the back side of the warehouse, you're thinking that you'd much rather dedicate your limited resources to the sales and marketing that you enjoy and that brings in a much better return for the time you invest into it. So now comes the question... what's the right time to make the move from your warehouse to your new 3PL and when should you do it?!?

Currently there is no commercial activity for the port in Montreal as the Maritime Employers Association has locked out the union representing 850 longshoreman. There is no activity coming in or out of the port including the rail ways. Obviously this will effect if you have product moving out of Montreal, no time lines associated with ending this lockout.

As the economy gradually recovers, the impact on shippers is predictable, and some different strategies offered in a partnership with a third party logistics providers are worth considering. The first reaction will be price increases, directly through lane rates, or by using tools such as fuel surcharges. In the first case, as a customer, you will need to sign off on any rate adjustments, but depending on the lane, you may not really have any better options. Even worse, if you have an irregular shipping pattern, and rely on spot quotes, you may be in for a real shock. As for the fuel surcharge, can we honestly claim to keep abreast of all our carriers, some of whom even change their rates weekly, or even more often?